Your first weeks of college are hard, but add going through recruitment to your plate and those first few weeks of the four best years of your life may end in you feeling as though you are drowning. Not only do you have homework and classes and clubs and jobs and whatever other extracurricular activities, but you also have to dress up for hundreds of girls and talk to hundreds of people you have never met before. It can be intimidating being yelled at with chants and songs and excitement from the girls on the sister side of recruitment. Trust me, I was there a year ago and on top of the fact that I had no previous experience and very little knowledge on Greek life, I was intimidated in every way.
As difficult and nerve-wracking as all of this seems, my Gamma Chis saved my life with some pretty fantastic tips that I am here to share with you.
1. Don't go into recruitment with your heart set on a house. Yes, you may like some houses more than others, but if you go in with your heart set, not only are you setting yourself up for disappointment if you get dropped or if you end up not liking the house, but you also leave little room for discovery of a different house.
2. Get to know your Gamma Chis. My Gamma Chis turned into two people that I looked up to all throughout recruitment and even today. I'm not going to lie. Recruitment was hard for me. I did not really know much about Greek life going into recruitment and those hundreds of girls I had to talk to and get chanted and sung at were more than overwhelming. By getting to know my Gamma Chis, I had an instant support system, a support system that knew all of the ins and outs of recruitment. They helped me so much during recruitment and I am still good friends with them!
3. Bring coffee filters to every round. Literally one of the best tips my Gamma Chis could have given. Coffee filters are great for soaking up sweat when you are running from house to house. Better than any kind of oil wipe I've used! You may feel funny blotting a coffee filter on your neck and face and anywhere else but once you realize that they soak up sweat and still leave your make up intact, everyone will be begging you for one.
4. It's okay to cry. If you get dropped from a house, cry. If you get invited back to your all time favorite house, cry. If you are just completely overwhelmed and stressed out, cry. Bottom line: it is okay to cry. Crying lets out a lot of the stress our bodies hold in, especially during times like recruitment. Maybe wait until you are in your own little place so people don't worry about you, but crying is okay and is usually a part of recruitment, both happy and sad cries.
5. Have fun with recruitment. As much as you are trying to impress the sisters of these houses, the sisters are trying to impress you as well. Get to know each house. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask why a sister joined their sorority. This time is just as much about each sorority finding the right new members as it is about you finding the right sorority. Don't force yourself into a sorority just because it seems like the best one. Find the best one for you.
